JPS60231802A - Absorbable sheet product - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises a liquid material made of blown fibers and intertwined liquid carrying fibers and high capacity liquid absorbing polymer particles, which are used in diapers, incontinence devices, and the like. This invention relates to absorbent sheet products useful for separating organic liquids and water.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many previous researchers have developed fibrous web products by the addition of "superabsorbent" particles, such as modified starches or other polymeric particles, which absorb and retain large amounts of liquid, especially water-soluble liquids, under pressure. sought to increase the absorption capacity of Previous products made with such additions all had significant limitations. For example, a commercial product consisting of absorbent particles deposited between two sheets of tissue will degrade during use, with the result that the absorbent particles are removed from the product and placed in the liquid being processed. Other commercially available products consisting of moderately stiff open fabric or cheesecloth to which essentially a single layer of absorbent particles are attached absorb only limited amounts of liquid.

Another product taught in US Pat. No. 4,103,062 is made by dispersing particles in an air-sparged cellulosic fibrous web and applying heat and pressure to densify the web and increase its strength. However, this product is limited due to the non-intumescent nature of the densified web and because the absorbent particles at the edge of the web swell upon initial liquid absorption, preventing additional liquid from penetrating into the interior of the web. It absorbs only the amount of liquid. U.S. Patent No. 4.105.03
No. 5 attempts to avoid such edge disturbance by dispersing absorbent particles in separate and spaced layers of fabric, but such construction requires additional processing steps. and exposed to delamination. Other products simply arrange the absorbent particles in a cascading P-shape in a coarsely woven web (
3,670,731), but U.S. Patents 4.103,062 and 4.105.05.
For both No. 3, it is difficult to deposit particles uniformly,
The particles then become mobile during subsequent processing, storage, shipping or use of the maple where the fibrous web is sprayed, dipped or otherwise contacted with an absorbent material dispersed in a volatile liquid. let When the volatile liquid evaporates, it leaves behind a fabric in which absorbent particles wrap around the fibers, primarily at the fiber intersections. Disadvantages of this approach include the need for multiple stages of product production, limitations on the amount of absorbent that can be added to the web, brittleness of the dry web, and the tendency for absorbent material to concentrate on the web surface.

Many of these problems were overcome by the absorbent sheet products described in US Pat. No. 4,429,001. In this product, an array of solid, high-capacity, liquid-absorbing polymer particles are homogeneously dispersed within a cohesive web of melt-blown fibers. However, greater improvements in the rate of liquid absorption would be required, since the swelling of the mass of high absorption capacity particles upon initial liquid absorption would still limit the rapid penetration of additional liquid into the interior of the web. be. Additionally, the cohesion of the melt-absorbing fibrous web serves to limit, to some extent, the swelling of the superabsorbent particles during liquid absorption. Unfortunately, the present invention is disclosed in U.S. Patent No.
, 429.001.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a novel absorbent sheet product that provides additional advantages over prior art products and has unique performance over any known prior art product.

In summary, this new sheet product consists of entangled blown fibers and liquid transport fibers intermixed with the blown fibers and solids with high absorbent capacity that are uniformly dispersed and physically retained in the web. A cohesive fibrous web comprising liquid-absorbing polymer particles, the particles swelling upon absorption of liquid, and transport fibers increasing by directing the liquid from the outer part of the web to the inner part of the web and causing faster absorption than C. Consists of. On top of that,
The web can include other ingredients such as a blending agent and an abrasive agent. Blown fibers can be produced by extruding a liquid fiber-forming material into a high velocity gas stream, whereupon the extruded material is attenuated and drawn into fibers. A stream of fibers is created which is collected as a tangled, cohesive mass on, for example, a screen placed in the stream. According to the invention, the absorbent particles and transport fibers are
For example, the mixture of melt-blown fibers, transport fibers, and particles can be introduced into a melt-blown fiber stream in a manner as taught in U.S. Pat. The absorbent particles and transport fibers are collected as a mass in which the absorbent particles and transport fibers are entrapped or otherwise physically retained. A particle-filled fibrous web containing transport fibers is formed essentially in one step, and the only further processing required would be simply cutting and packaging for use.

The sheet products of the present invention are intact and easy to handle both before and after immersion in liquid, since the collected blown fibers are highly intertwined or tangled and form a strong cohesive mass and absorb This is because the particles and transport fibers are permanently retained and retained within the web.

Large amounts of liquid can be absorbed at a fast rate, and the amount depends primarily on the capacity of the individual absorbent particles and the rate of absorption, which is significantly enhanced by the transport fibers. Liquid is rapidly absorbed by the absorbent particles that are uniformly located inside the sheet product because the absorbent particles are held apart by the web structure and the transport fibers direct the liquid to the particles located inside the web. Ru. The melt-blown fibers of the web are preferably wetted by the liquid to be absorbed; for example, as a result of the use of fiber-forming materials that are wetted by the liquid or by the addition of surfactants during the web forming process, this further aids in absorption.

During absorption, the absorbent particles swell and increase in size, and although the blown fibers are intertwined, as the particles expand, the web of fibers also expands, so that the absorbed liquid is absorbed when the product is pressurized. Even K is retained in the product.
Become. Transport fibers also aid in the separation of melt-blown fibers,
This is especially true in the case of the collapsed form, resulting in a low-density edema with a large potential for expansion upon absorption of liquid. Upon absorption of liquid, the transport fibers allow the blown fibers to move to such an extent that the fibrous web is pushed apart by the expanding absorbent particles while maintaining the integrity of the web.

The absorbent sheet products of the present invention have a wide variety of uses, particularly where rapid absorption, high liquid retention and soft texture are required, such as disposable incontinence devices, diapers, surgical swabs, bed applications, etc. Useful in rugs, sanitary napkins, and filter media for separating water from organic liquids.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, a typical apparatus useful for manufacturing sheet products of the present invention is schematically shown in FIG. The equipment is generally similar to that taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,531 for producing webs of melt-blown fibers and crimped bulk fibers.

This equipment produces webs with melt-blown fibers (made by extruding molten fiber-forming materials and which is preferred for many webs of the invention), but is capable of using solution-blown and other types of fibers. You can also do it. The fiber blowing portion of the illustrated apparatus may be used, for example, in industrial engineering chemistry.
ial Bngineering Chemistry
), Vol. 48, pp. 1642 et seq. (1956).
.

Van A.
neThermoplastia IFibera)
7 published on May 25, 1954.
Dimension Research La Radleys (Naval Re5
research laboratories) lipo) (
Wants, Van in Report) No. 4664
A, ;BOone, O, D, ; and IPluhar
ty,]! [Manufacture of the finest organic fibers (M
manufacture of superfine or
A structure for a nucleus may be used, as taught in the document titled "Ganio Fiber θ)". Such a structure comprises a die 10 having an extrusion chamber 11 through which the liquefied fiber-forming material advances; an orifice 1 located in a line across the front end of the die and through which the fiber-forming material is extruded.
2; and a cooperating orifice through which the gas, typically Kd heated air, is forced at extremely high velocity. The high velocity gas stream draws and thins the extruded fiber-forming material, where it solidifies as fibers as it advances to collector 14. The collector 14 is typically a finely perforated screen, in this case a closed loop belt, but it can also be a flat screen or another shape such as a drum or cylinder. A degassing device can be placed behind the screen to aid in fiber deposition and gas removal.

Alternatively, two dies can be used and arranged so that the streams of meltblown fibers exiting them intersect to create one continuous stream in collector 141.

The apparatus shown in FIG. 1 also includes means for introducing absorbent particles and staple transport fibers into the article of the present invention. Transportation fiber lickerin
The meltblown fibers are introduced into the stream through the use of rolls 16. d-nets) (garnet) machine or “R
A transport fibrous web 17, typically a rough nonwoven web such as that produced on an anao-Webber J, is fed from a supply roll below a drive roll 19 where it is wound toward a leading edge wrap-in roll 16. The licker-in roll 16 rotates in the direction of the arrow and the web 1
Peek at the transport fibers from the leading end of the T and separate the transport fibers from each other. The absorbent particles are introduced into a conduit 23 through a conduit (incLu) which measures the flow of the particles into the Venturi tube 22.
ctor) 'l 1 from the particulate hopper 20. An air stream flows through conduit 23 to carry the absorbent particles. The absorbent particles are conveyed to the inclined conduit 24 where the absorbent flow 1 becomes a carrier stream for the transport fibers delivered by the transporter 16. The absorbent particles and transport fibers are conveyed in the air stream through the inclined conduit 24 into the melt-blown fiber stream where the absorbent particles and transport fibers become mixed with the melt-blown fibers. Mixed flow fogging collector 1 of melt-blown fibers, transport fibers and absorbent particles
4, where a web of randomly mixed and intertwined microfibers 31, transport fibers 32, and absorbent particles 33 is formed as shown in FIG. Jet stream 25 can be used to apply ingredients such as binders and wetting agents to the mixed stream of blown fibers, absorbent particles and transport fibers before it is collected in collector 14.

Melt-blown fibers are highly preferred for the sheet products of this invention, but solution-blown fibers liquefied by incorporating the fiber-forming material in a volatile solvent can also be used. U.S. Pat. No. 4,011,067 describes a useful apparatus and procedure for producing webs of such fibers; however, in producing the sheet products of the present invention, the fiber-generating material is It is generally extruded through a number of adjacent orifices rather than through the single orifice shown therein.

The absorbent particles and transport fibers are preferably arranged at the point where the blown fibers finally contact the absorbent particles (as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,373) and the transport fibers.
When the blown fibers have solidified sufficiently to form a contact, they are introduced into the fiber stream. However, the absorbent particles and transport fibers can also be mixed with the melt-blown fibers under conditions such that the melt-blown fibers are in surface contact with the absorbent particles and the transport fibers.

Once the absorbent particles and transport fibers have been incorporated into the blown fiber stream, the process of manufacturing the sheet products of the present invention is generally the same as that of manufacturing other blown fiber webs; and the collector The methods of collection, collection, and handling of the collected web are generally the same as for producing non-particle loaded blown fiber webs.

The thicknesses of the layers of melt-blown fibers, absorbent particles, and transport fibers produced in any one rotation of the collection net, and the finished sheet product of the present invention, can vary widely.

For most applications of the sheet products of the present invention, thicknesses between about 0.05 and 2 clIL are used. For several types of applications, two or more separately produced sheet products of the present invention can be assembled into one thicker sheet product. The sheet products of the present invention can also be manufactured by depositing streams of fibers and absorbent particles onto other sheet materials, such as porous nonwoven webs, which form part of the ultimate sheet product. You can also do it. mechanically interlocking other structures such as impermeable films;
It can also be laminated to the sheet products of the invention by thermal bonding or adhesives.

The blown fibers are preferably fine fibers having an average diameter of less than about 10 micrometers because such fibers provide more points of contact with particles per unit volume of fiber. Very small fibers, on average less than 5 or 1 micrometer in diameter, can be used especially with absorbent particles of very small size. Solution-blown fibers have the advantage that they can be made to extremely fine diameters, including those of 1 micrometer or less. Larger fibers, such as those with an average diameter of 25 micrometers or more, can also be made, particularly by melt-blowing methods.

Blown fiber webs are characterized by extreme intertwining of fibers,
This provides cohesion and strength to the web and also allows the web to contain and retain particulate matter and stesol fibers. Although the fibers are reported to be discontinuous, the aspect ratio (length to diameter ratio) of blown fibers is nearly infinite.

The fibers are long and so intertwined that it is generally impossible to extract one complete fiber from the fiber mass or to trace one fiber from beginning to end.

Despite such entanglement, the sheet product will expand significantly in size during absorption.

Fibers can be made from a wide variety of fiber-forming materials. Typical polymers from which melt-blown fibers are made include polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polyamides. Typical polymers for making solution blown fibers include vinyl acetate, vinyl chloride and vinylidene chloride polymers and copolymers. Inorganic materials also make useful fibers. In certain embodiments of the invention, different fiber-forming materials are used in one
Can be mowed mixed in layers or used in different layers.

Many fiber-forming materials create hydrophobic fibers, which are undesirable in water-absorbing sheet products. To improve sheet products for such applications, surfactants in powdered or liquid form can be added by mixing the powder with an absorbent prior to introduction into the web or by spraying the liquid onto the web after web formation. can be incorporated into sheet products. Useful surfactants that typically include molecules with lipophilic and hydrophilic components include dioctyl ester of sodium sulfosuccinate and alkylaryl polyether alcohols. Small amounts of surfactant, such as 0.05 to 1% by weight of the sheet product, will generally provide adequate hydrophilicity, although larger amounts can be used. The use of lipophilic fibers with water-absorbing particles can have the advantage of dual absorption in that the fibrous web absorbs organic liquids such as oil while the particles absorb water.

As previously mentioned, the absorbent particles used in the present invention are generally superabsorbent particles, which rapidly absorb and retain liquid under pressure.

Preferred particles of the water absorbing vessel include modified starches, examples of which are described in US Pat. No. 5,981,100, and high molecular weight acrylic preformers containing hydrophilic groups. A wide variety of such water-insoluble and water-absorbing particles can be purchased, and they typically absorb 20 times their weight or more in water and preferably 100 times their weight in water or more. absorb more water. The amount of water absorbed decreases when impurities are included in the water. Alkylstyrene absorbent particles (Dow Chemical
"Engineering Bead" by Company
s J trademark) are useful for absorbing liquids other than water. They will absorb up to 5 to 10 times their weight or more of such liquids. Generally, absorbent particles should absorb at least their own weight of liquid.

The absorbent particles have an average diameter of at least 50 to 50
Dimensions can vary up to 00 micrometers.

Preferably, the particles are between 75 and 1500 micrometers in average diameter.

The meaning of the absorbent particles neutralized in the sheet products of this invention is determined by the particular application being made for the product and other properties and desires such as web integrity or strength, or desired web stiffness. This will have a bearing on the balance between the amount of absorbing capacity and the amount of absorption capacity.

Generally, the absorbent particles are at least about 20 y/*", more typically 10
150 to 5009/l for blowing ruts of 0P/l”
N'' can be considered as 500JE/- or more for a blown fiber of 100P/+a''. K adds a binder to the product to achieve a high loading of absorbent particles. The binding material should preferably be optically viscous to bind the fibers and particles together, but not to bond the web. The ultimate use of the product should also be considered in the selection of binding materials. Materials that can be used as binding materials include glycerol, polyethylene glycols, polyols, and small ethers. When using an absorbent particle formulation of 500 weight percent based on the weight of the blown fibers, from about 0.5 to 51 weights, preferably from about 0.5 to 2 pieces, based on the weight of the blown fibers. A small amount of bonding material such as light is generally necessary to provide additional & adhesive force to hold the absorbent particles within the web.

The transport fibers used in the present invention are generally absorbent steno fibers which rapidly absorb and handle the liquid to be absorbed. - The fibers useful as feed fibers contain at least about 10%, preferably about 20% and more preferably about 25 water retention v.
alue). It has been found that fibers with such water retention values provide desirable transport of liquid within the web. Such fibers include rayon, cotton, wool and silk. A particularly preferred fiber is one θrioal.
n lnkaOompany [Ab
eorbit J rayon fiber.

The dimensions of the transport fibers preferably range from about 1 to 50 denier, more preferably from about 1 to 30 denier. The dimensions of the transport fiber are determined by the end use of the product.

Low denier transport fibers provide a softer feel and better mechanical retention of absorbent particles. If equipment such as a licker-in-roll is used to wrap the transport fibers during product manufacture, the fibers should have an average length of between about 2 and 15'm. Preferably, transport fIi
R fibers are shorter than about 7 to ioam in length.

The transport & fibers can be crimped to further enhance the anti-blocking effect provided by the fibers. The crimped stesol transport fibers make it easier to stretch I# to ttcm articles as the absorbent KI# evaporates during liquid absorption.

This added ease of 1# tension limits web expansion for intertwined blown fibrous webs, thereby reducing any tendency to limit water uptake by the absorbent particles. The crimped transport fibers provide a mechanical flux to the web which reduces compressive forces on the swollen absorbent particles during liquid absorption.

However, the width of the crimp should not be too large to separate the blown fibers and absorbent particles so much as to reduce the interstitial movement of liquid through the web.

The amount of transport fibers included in the sheet products of the present invention will depend on the particular application for which the product is made and the type and type of absorbent particles included in the sheet product. It's like a light~
In order to overcome the blocking effect of the absorbent particles that prevails by giving the absorption and absorption of the absorbed liquid, and to achieve the rapid absorption that is simulated, it is generally necessary to use 100P/m of blown fiber
At least 10 P/IIg per 17) transport fibers will be used. In order to maintain the negativity and cohesiveness of the blown fiber matrix, the weight of the transport fibers is generally 100 P/IIg of the blown fibers.
y/- will not exceed about 1tJLJfl. Generally, if the denier is less than 1 jkk, a higher conductivity transport fiber will be used. Preferably, the sheet product has about 20 to 6 blown fibers per 100j1'/2 of blown fibers.
Contains 0J'/'''' transport fibers.

When using high quality absorbent particles with fast absorption capacity, fewer transport fibers are required than when using low quality absorbent particles to overcome the blocking effect.

In some cases, when the absorbent particles have a very fast absorption capacity and are present in the Kai6 loading in the web, the addition of low water shallow gIi fibers is unnecessary and undesirable. Economical considerations, as well as practical considerations, may be used to determine the selection and optimal balance of transport fibers and absorbent particles.

The advantages of the absorbent sheet products of the present invention are illustrated in the following examples, which are not to be construed as limiting the scope thereof.

In the examples, the absorptive capacity test is based on the Dema
nd 5orbenay Te5t) '4 (used to perform the test as follows: A test sample of 4.45 = m (1,75 inch) diameter web was placed in a filtration funnel at 25-50 mm. Placed on a porous plate (1.Q by a freely moving plunger in the barrel of the funnel)
Applicable to kPa pressure tK family. In the dynamic head 0, the test liquid is drawn off through a siphon machine to the upper surface of the porous plate where the test IM sample absorbs the test liquid.

The charge of the test liquid absorbed by the test sample is determined by controlling the violet of the test liquid drawn from the residue by the test sample.

Demand 8orb uses synthetic urine as the absorption liquid
In θnoyTest, synthetic urine has the following formulation: 0.6% Calcium chloride 0.10% Magnesium fCate 0.83% Sodium chloride 1.94% R element 97.07% Deionized water Synthetic urine bath fluid has 15% It has a conductance of .7m.

As shown in Table 1, Voliptetrapyrene microfibers and absorbent particles (Grain Processing Corp.
Water-Lock J-5 (J
Q) and the stenol transport fiber of the present invention (Example 1
and 2), comparative stenol fiber (Example 3-6)
, or made absorbent sheet products from stazol-free fibers.

The fibers used during these examples were as follows: Rayon: berioan Jllnka 00. with 3.3 denier lumen bsorbit rayon staple. Cotton supplied by: 2.6-2.7 m1ke cotton fiber (0,
92 denier) Polypropylene: 6, U denier polypropylene stasol.

In each example, the absorbent sheet was comprised of 110 P/m2 of polytetrapyrene microfibers, 150 P/Il'' of absorbent particles, 0.50 P/Il'' of absorbent particles.
It contained 4 P/"l" of anionic surfactant, 1.6 f/"l" of glycerol, and the amounts of staple weave shown in Table 1. Then Demand8orbenc
yTe5t was performed on each 'vhAm treated sheet with synthetic urine. The results are shown in Table 1.

Table 1 Koji - Type (191 minutes 2 minutes 6 minutes 4 minutes 5 minutes 1
Rayon 20 3.0 5.0 6.3 6.8
7.02 Rayon 60 3.4 5.7 7.1
7.7 7.93 Wood M 20 2.9 4.8 6.
0 6.6 6.84 Wood m 60 3.2 5.3
6.8 7.7 8.25 Polypropylene 20 2
．． 6 4.4 5.5 6.1 6.96 Voice fc
Ila/y 60 2-5 4.4 5.7 6.6
7.27 -------- -- 2.5 4.2 5.2
5.7 5.9 The data in Table 1 shows that rayon and cotton transport fibers are 150F/II with J-500 particles.
When used with additives, it provides a sheet product with even faster absorption capacity and increased total absorption capacity than the comparative Volippyrene fibers. This can be understood if one calculates the increase in absorbed liquid by which a sheet product containing cotton or rayon is superior to that of a sheet product containing polypropylene, as in Table II&2.

Table 2 Stable Stable fibers Rayon than a web containing polypyrene fibers 20 15.4 13.6 1
4,5 11.5 1.4 Cotton 20 11.5 9.
1 9.1 8.2-1.4 Remin 60 56.0
29.5 24.6 16.7 9.7 Tree M 60
Absorbent sheets were made as in Examples 1-7 except that the absorbent particles 'V300P/IIg were incorporated into the sheet products. Then De was determined by synthetic urine for each WA and department.
mand 8orbena)r Te5t'jk went. The results are shown in Table 3.

The data in Table 3 is J-500 particle and 3003'/l1m
Rayon transport fibers when used in formulations of both 20 g P/1 and 60 P/II'' are shown to provide even faster absorption capacity and increased total absorption capacity.

Cotton transport fibers provide improved liquid absorption capacity at the 601/- level. Due to the high formulation of absorbent particles with extremely fast absorption capacity, the fine cotton transport IiR of 20P/II''
The fibers were found to be insufficient to provide the desired increase in absorbent capacity. This can be seen in Table 4, where it is calculated that the % increase in weight of water absorbed by webs containing cotton or rayon is superior to webs containing volip v-birene.

Example 15-21 Grain Process instead of J-500 particles
Water-Lo powered by ngCorp, K
Example 1 except that ckmu-200 absorbent particles were used.
An absorbent sheet product was made as described in 7. The blending ratio of particles was 150F/Im''. Next, each sample was subjected to a Demand 5orbency test using synthetic urine.
Taat was performed. The results are shown in Table 5.

Table 5 16 Rayon 60 2.1 3.4 4.1 4.
4 4.517 Cotton 20 1.83.03.94.3
4.318 Cotton 60 1.95.24.1 4.54
．． 519 4 Zeri Rokubi 1/n 20 1.0 1.9
2.7 6.4 5.820 Volip5pyrene 60
1.2 2.3 6.4 4.1 4.521 ---
-- -- 1.0 2.0 2.8 3.5 4.1
The data in Table 5 shows that transport fibers of rayon and cotton are A
When used at a loading of 150p/-1 with -200 absorbent particles, it has been shown to provide even faster absorption of synthetic urine than vorino μpyrene stable fibers. This ◆ can be understood if one calculates the increase in absorbed liquid to be 51 to 6 out of 10, which is superior to that of sheet products containing cotton or rayon or sheet products containing polynopyrene. The use of rayon or cotton transport fibers provides a significant increase in the absorbent capacity of the sheet product when used with the more absorbent J-500 particles and with the less absorbent Mu200 absorbent board. Also give.

m6 table m 20 80.057.944.4 6.513.
2 Rayon 60 75.0 47.8 20.6 7
．． 5 0 wood m 6CI 58.559.1 20.6
9.8 Actual Mf1115-21 except for the point where it was blended at 0.
An absorbent sheet product was made as follows. 1Sli each
Damanl 8o by synthetic urine about the i-made seat
We had a rbenay treat. The results are shown in the wealth 7 table.

Table 7 23 Rayon 60 1.7 5.4 4.7 5.
8 6.424 Cotton 20 1.73.44.65.5
5.925 Cotton 60 1.53.14.45.56.
126 Polyhexpyrene 20 0.9 1.9 2.8
5.6 4.427 Bolino 5-pyrene 60 0.8
1.6 2.3 3.0 3.728 -----
-- LO2, 13, 14, 04, 6 The data in Table 7 indicates that when using rayon and cotton transport fibers at a loading of 300 P/II'' with Mu 200 absorbent board, the comparative Volip a pyrene soft This results in an increased rate of absorbed liquid that is superior to that of sheet products containing cotton or rayon or sheet products containing borillovirene. This can be understood when calculating as shown in Table 8.

Table 8 Stotal Stable Polyester Rayon than web containing linolobilene weave 20 88.8 73.7 60.
7 52.3 45.2 Cotton 20 88.878.9
64.3 52.5 34. Rouyon 60 112
．． 5 112.5 104.5 93.3 7.50 tree # 60 87.593.8 9L3 83.3 64
．． 9 Examples 29-31 Absorbent sheet products of the present invention, Example 29, and Comparative Examples 30 and 61t were made containing the ingredients shown in Table 9. The original thickness of each sheet was measured. A 5-m x 5-m sample of each sheet product was placed in water for 60 seconds. The thickness of each sheet was again determined. The initial and final thicknesses are shown in Table 9.

Table 9 Examples Examples Example 29 50 31 Component J-500CP/"l") 300 3 [Jo 15 Rayon"(P/11")] 60 -Surfactant (h
He) 0.4 0.4 [J, 4 glycerol (F/
II9 1.6 1.6 0 (initial thickness) Ll,
5 0.4 0.2 final thickness false) 3.5 2.0
0.7+ [Absorbit J rayon fiber A
Powered by mlilriQan BnkaOo.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

No. 19 is a schematic diagram of the equipment used in the practice of the present invention; and No. 2 is a greatly enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the sheet product of the present invention. The numbers entered in the circular represent the following: 10 Die 11 Extrusion 12 Die, orifice 13 Gas, orifice 14
Collector 16 Licker-in 11 Transport rutted fiber web 18 Round roll 19 Drive roll 20 Particulate hopper 21 Guide tube 22 Venturi tube 23 Conduit 24 #1 oblique tube 25 Jet flow 31 MicrolR fiber 32 Transport structure 33 Absorbent particle agent Hiro Asamura

Claims (9)

[Claims] (1) In absorbent sheet products that include a cohesive fibrous web, the web includes intertwined blown fibers and solid, high-density materials that are uniformly dispersed and physically retained within the web. an array of liquid-absorbing polymer particles of absorbent capacity, the particles moisten VCl2 when they absorb liquid, and the transport fibers conduct liquid from the exterior of the web into the interior of the web. Absorbent sheet product characterized by increased K and resulting in faster liquid absorption. (2) The absorbent sheet product of claim 1t), wherein the transport fibers are present in an amount of from about 10 to i 001 /a2 per 100 Ii/m" of blown fibers. (3) The absorbent sheet product of claim 41, wherein the transport fibers have a residual water value of at least 20%. (4) Claim No. 1 in which the transport fiber is rayon
) Absorbent sheet products listed in section 2. (5) The absorbent sheet product according to claim 11), wherein the absorbent particles are present in an amount of at least 201 JF/*"K to 100 JF/*"K of blown fibers. (6) Claim 11) The melt-blown fibers include microfibers having an average diameter of less than about 10 micrometers.
Absorbent sheet products listed in section. (7) The absorbent sheet product of claim 17, further comprising a surfactant to assist in wetting the web by the liquid to be absorbed and also dispersed within the web fibers. (8) A diaper containing the absorbent sheet product according to claim 41. (9) An incontinence device containing the absorbent sheet material according to claim No. +13. al. A filtration device for separating water from an organic liquid containing an absorbent sheet material according to claim (1).